Today's Advice
by Cassandra's Destiny
Summary: Tenten has a fine job and a fine lover, but today's advice is DON'T LIE. Okay, so her job isn't all that, and she lied about the lover part too. But that doesn't mean she has to take orders from a hot bastard who calls himself executive director, right?
1. Chapter 1

_Standard disclaimers apply._

**TODAY'S ADVICE**

_**By Cassandra's Destiny**_

---

"…_that piece of cardboard you stick to the wall that makes you close your eyes, do a three-sixty and point at a certain box for you to read after? Yes, that's the one."_

_--- _

"No."

"Tenten."

"Lee."

"Tenten."

"Lee, no."

"Tenten."

"Lee."

"Tenten."

"The answer is still no."

"But why?"

Rubbing her temples, Tenten took a seat opposite her uninvited guest. Much as she loved having visits from Lee, her neighbor and childhood friend, he can get _really_ annoying, not to mention whiny.

"I am not taking your shift at the bakeshop."

"Tenten, spending an afternoon at the bakeshop is a very wonderful and rewarding experience! You get to meet all kinds of people and you are able to bring at least a speck of joy and happiness into their lives with the cakes and other pastries you serve!"

She rolled her eyes. "Why can't you go to work today anyway? If spending an afternoon at the bakeshop is _that_ much of a _rewarding_ experience, why wouldn't you have the _honor_ of bringing that speck of joy and happiness into people's lives?"

Lee sensed the mockery in her voice. Tenten was never a morning person. Growing up with her and watching Saturday morning cartoons in her apartment when they were seven made him realize that much. She was cranky and irritable. She had all the snacks for herself and gave him only the chips and drinks she didn't fancy. The remote control was constantly by her side too! As a kid, Lee had to watch _Zombie Fighters_ instead of spending half an hour learning valuable lessons with _Lauren is Explorin'_.

"I told you, me and the other guys are giving Naruto a surprise congratulatory party for his recent engagement!"

"And you start after lunch? I thought partying for men meant starting hours after sunset, staying up all night, playing pool or darts, and drinking beer 'til your belly is _so big_, you can see your feet _no more_! What kind of _men_ are you? I bet you'd hold your surprise party at a garden with a huge fountain or something and you'd have _tea_ and _Danish cookies_. You _men_ are such sissies. Do you wear fancy clothing, arrange flower bouquets and use ice sculptures for centerpieces too?

Much as that speech of hers have probably injured male pride all over the globe, Lee chose not to retort. He _respects_ Tenten's opinions… and needs a favor from her _badly_.

"All of us didn't risk asking for two days off from work. So the preparations will be done the same day the party will be held. Besides, I don't think Naruto likes Danish cookies."

Tenten raised a brow. The Danish cookies were _seriously_ not the point.

"Lee, I am not watching your Bakeshop of Youth the entire afternoon. I have a life."

"And a wonderful life it is." Lee didn't want to resort to sarcasm. But since Tenten was being stubborn as a bull, he'll fight cynicism with cynicism.

"What are you talking about?"

"Tenten, it's your day-off."

"I know."

"And need I remind you why today is your day-off?"

"Shut up." She snarled.

"Oh, but I don't want to, just like how you don't want to do me an important favor today."

Tenten scowled. Point for Lee.

Folding his hands and pouting his lips, Lee put on a mockery of a hopeless romantic girl, with the face, cutesy voice and all those works. "Lee, this is really wonderful! My boyfriend asked me out to dinner Friday night and I just know this is finally it! We'd get married, I'd have my career; he'd have his career. I'd be a working mother; he'd be a working father. I'll finally be able to give my parents grandchildren! Our kids will go to school and we'll pick them up after and go out for a family lunch or something. Isn't it just wonderful?"

"Stop it." Tenten snapped at his smooching noises. "Do I have to drag you out of my living room? Why are you trying to get under my skin? You know it's not going to work."

Lee regained his composure. "It's not going to work, huh?" Now he had _victory_ written across his face. He had known Tenten for forever and a day, and even if she says his soliloquy wasn't getting to her, Lee can call her bluff anytime _any day_.

"Tenten—"

"My love life is none of your business."

"Love life? What love life? I think you better look at _this_." He slipped out a small piece of paper from his back pocket and handed it to Tenten. Very much annoyed yet curiosity still in tact, she unfolded the paper and read its contents.

"What the hell is this?" Her eyes narrowed at _every single line_ she read.

"It's a list of your past boyfriends." Lee stated a matter-of-factly. "And as you can see, there are two columns in the paper."

"Yes, but the other column is empty."

"Exactly."

Tenten shifted her gaze to Lee, who was sitting at the edge of the sofa, leaning closer to the paper she was holding.

"Both columns are supposed to contain the names of your past boyfriends." She scanned through the list. Slightly surprised, she realized Lee had noted down _all of them_, some of which _even she_ have forgotten about. "Are you sure? Why is the other column empty?"

"Same reason you're home today in your sleeping clothes wearing bunny slippers."

She lifted her eyebrow. "What are you getting at?"

"Simple, really. The names listed on the left column belongs to your past boyfriends who dumped you for varying reasons." Lee took a breather before dropping the bomb on her. "And the names on the right column are those of your past boyfriends you yourself have broken up with."

Tenten twitched. Tenten _visibly_ twitched. The right column was _empty._ No name was listed on it. "Lee—"

"What was that you said? You have a life? Yes, and a _wonderful_ life it is."

"I am so going to get you for this blackmail."

He bobbed his head to the side. "Oh, but Tenten, this isn't blackmail. I'm just stating the facts. You have nothing better to do today. You caught yet another one of your hated boyfriends, who, need I mention, you don't care about, cheating on you _and_ he dumped you _on the spot_. Knowing you, you probably won't be doing anything productive any time soon so I am actually doing _you_ and the _community_ a favor. See the logic?"

"Now the community's involved? What's next? World peace?"

Lee made clicking noises with his tongue. "Tenten, customers of the Bakeshop of Youth will not appreciate your sarcasm. So you have to serve the customers of the Bakeshop of Youth with a pleasant smile on your face this afternoon."

"Some friend you are." She snorted.

Lee was going to fight fire with fire no longer. Giving her his nice guy pose, he replied before heading for the door. "Yes, Tenten, and you will soon realize that I am a valuable friend indeed."

* * *

"What'll it be?" Tenten grudgingly asked the customer in front of her. This was stupid. She is a professional patent attorney, not some take-out girl you ask donuts from.

"You're doing it all wrong! You have to greet the customers properly." Sakura hissed in frustration while working at the next counter.

Tenten rolled her eyes. "Good afternoon, ma'am. Welcome to the Bakeshop of Youth where the pastries are always burning with the flames of our youthfulness. I will be your server, Tenten, and I am more than glad to share my springtime of youth with you. What would be your order of shining youthfulness, ma'am?"

Oddly enough, the woman, probably in her forties, was not making eye-contact with her. She was staring intently at her PDA, pressing in what Tenten supposed are important inputs in her career. "I'd have a latte and a muffin on the go."

Handing the lady her order in a small plastic, Tenten had no trouble serving the customer at all. She got the payment, gave her the receipt and exact change.

"Tenten."

"What?"

"Did you even ask the customer what muffin she wanted?"

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "Ask her what _kind_ of muffin? A _muffin_ is a _muffin_, Sakura. Plus, I don't see her complaining."

"What if you gave her the wrong muffin?" Sakura turned her attention to her fleeting customer. "Thank you for coming, sir. Please visit the Bakeshop of Youth again and we promise to serve your burning flames of youth with a smile and a generous sharing of our springtime of youthfulness. See you soon!" The customer smiled at the girl behind the counter and headed for the door.

Hearing the door chimes grow silent, Sakura turned to her companion once again. "There are different kinds of muffins here at the Bakeshop of Youth; each one burning with its distinct flame of youthfulness."

Annoyed, Tenten grabbed a pen and began poking a styrofoam cup on the counter. "What do you want me to do? Run after that customer and ask her what kind of muffin she wanted? It's not like she cared that I gave her a _random_ muffin. She was too busy with her PDA to choose what _distinct flame of youthfulness_ her muffin possessed." End of poking. "Besides, you're beginning to sound like one of them, Sakura. And, just a note from a friend to another friend, it's _really_ getting creepy."

Sighing loudly, Sakura emerged from behind the counter to clean up the few tables in the bakeshop. Haruno Sakura has always been a kind and sweet girl. She has been the object of Lee's affections when they were in their early teens. And by a twist of fate or whatnot, what Tenten thought was true love _truly_ did not work out. It was true Lee admired Sakura. It was true Sakura was kind to Lee. But Lee and Sakura together truly did not make magic. It _truly _was puppy love after all. Lee _strongly decided_ not to act on his past feelings for the girl since it didn't work out once upon a time. Of course, Tenten also _strongly decided_ that she will continue to cheer on his springtime of youth, telling him his flames of youth probably are burning for a special someone out there, no matter how dorky it may sound.

"Tenten, I can't believe I'm saying this, but you're more sarcastic today than you were the last time we saw each other. What's up?"

"I got dumped." Came her quick reply.

"Dumped? Shinji dumped you?"

"Yea, just like every other guy I've dated. Sometimes I don't know why I even bother. I mean, maybe Lee's right. Maybe my love life is just _wonderful_ and _super peachy_." She made a face. "Life sucks."

Sakura empathized with the other girl. She has been friends with Tenten for a long time now and she has a good idea of just how many boyfriends she has had in the past. Moreover, she has mental tabs on which of her relationships turned sour or have gone to ruin, i.e. all of them. "If they did date you, there must have been some kind of spark, right?"

"Wrong. I'm like a trophy girl friend in their academic and corporate work. They'd tell their co-workers I'm an attorney, leaving the _patent_ part, and they'd feel all high and mighty because all their friends will tell them they're smart enough to be at heads with an attorney."

"How does leaving out the word _patent_ make a difference?"

"Being a patent attorney is not as glamorous as being a lawyer _per se_. We didn't graduate from the same course as usual lawyers. We didn't even study the same things as usual lawyers. We're not given the same powers of an attorney. Sometimes, we're not even considered lawyers. All in all, it's different. It's just is."

Sakura took a seat next to one of the cleaned tables. "Why do you continue to date them then? I thought you were a man-hater."

"I am a man-hater."

"But you constantly date guys."

She shrugged. "I know."

Sakura was getting confused. "So you hate the male population. You want to expand your career more than anything. And you date a lot. It doesn't make sense."

"Of course it doesn't." Tenten leaned against the counter before continuing. "I am an absolute oxymoron."

From the day Lee introduced Tenten to Sakura, Tenten has always been an opposite of herself. Moreover, Sakura has noted her as the boyish and independent type. _"Of course! How can I forget?"_

"Does this have anything to do with our sophomore year?"

Her lips twitched. "What day is today? Is it _remind-Tenten-of-the-stupid-things-she-has-done_ day?"

Sakura opened her mouth to try to set Tenten straight. She really was crankier than usual. But something at the back of her mind told her not to feed her anger any longer. If you fight fire with fire, _"you'll just get a bigger fire."_ She mentally added.

"Yes, it probably has something to do with that sophomore year incident. It probably has something to do with what happened the year after. But that's not the point, Sakura. You know what is?"

"What are you—" She was cut off by Tenten who was practically glowing with the determination of her youthfulness. _"Maybe Tenten was right. I am beginning to sound like them."_

"Haruno Sakura, as of today, I, Tenten, am now out of the dating scene. I no longer wish to redeem myself even if the past keeps haunting me. I will be a full-fledged man-hater if not a man-eater. From now on, I will be focusing on my career and would be keeping my eye on the beautiful corporate life ahead of me."

"_Oh no, what have I done?"_

And the door chimes went on.

"Good afternoon, sir. Welcome to the Bakeshop of Youth where the pastries are always burning with the flames of our youthful…" Sakura instantly stood up and began reciting the epic of a greeting to the new customer. Rudely enough, he ignored the girl and headed straight for the counter where Tenten was getting her act together. "Good afternoon, sir. Welcome to the Bakeshop of Youth where the pastries—"

"I'll have a coffee and a glazed kiwi tart, I guess. Please make it fast; I'm kind of in a hurry right now."

Tenten's mind stopped functioning after the words coffee and tart. The man standing before her was…wait, her mind stopped functioning, remember?

"Miss?"

She blinked. "Oh, sorry." She murmured, taking note of his long dark hair, pale eyes, strong and sharp facial features, long and lean body. Everything about this man screamed sensuality. He was the perfect epitome of masculinity. Tenten thought.

"That'd be one coffee and a glazed kiwi tart on the go?" He gazed at her with disinterest and nodded.

_So I'll be a full-fledged man-hater, huh?_

* * *

"Tenten."

"…"

"Tenten, wake up."

She groaned. "What the hell are you doing here? What time is it?"

"5 AM."

"5 AM? Lee! What did you wake me up for? Oh shit!" She snapped up from her bed. "Did someone die?"

Lee shook his head. "No, but I got you a present."

"A present."

"Yes, a present!"

Tenten stared at Lee incredulously. So he got her a present and decided to wake her up in the middle of the night?

"Why did I give you a spare key again?"

Holding a fist to his chest, Lee answered with great pride. "It is because you, Tenten, my friend, a _youthful flower_, would like me, your neighbor, the _green beast of Konoha_, Rock Lee, to protect you from all the _lurking evil_ threatening your _springtime_ of youth."

Tenten violently threw a pillow at him. "Idiot."

Lee scratched his head before sitting down on the corner of her bed. "Here." He handed her a small scroll with a bright yellow ribbon around it. "That is my gift to you. A gift that will serve as my thanks for taking my shift at the Bakeshop of Youth today."

Tenten's face softened. She couldn't help but smile at Lee's sincerity and thoughtfulness. _True_, he can be _a bit_ careless and _a tad bit_ overwhelming at times, but he is the most honest person she knows. _True_, he may come off as _overbearing_ one too many times in the past, but she knew he meant well. "Thank you, Lee." She untied the ribbons. Upon scrutiny, she raised a brow. "What is this?"

"It's today's advice."

"Today's advice?"

"You know, that piece of cardboard you stick to the wall that makes you close your eyes, do a three-sixty and point at a certain box for you to read after? Yes, that's the one."

"You're kidding, right?" There was no way she was taking advice from a piece of cardboard.

"No! In fact, how about you try it now, Tenten?"

"How about you make me breakfast instead?"

"Tenten."

"Lee."

"Tenten."

"Breakfast."

"Tenten."

"No."

"Tenten."

"Fine."

With a scowl on her face, Tenten got ready to pick today's advice. Lee took the honor of hanging it on her bedroom wall and reading the instructions to her while she followed each and every step.

"So close your eyes." She closed her eyes.

"Do a three-sixty." She did a three sixty.

"Point at a box." Tenten stopped. "How would I know if I'm pointing at a box and not at the wall?"

"Well," Lee cleared his throat. "I'd be guiding you."

And she pointed at a box.

"There."

"Where?"

"Open your eyes."

"Doing somebody a favor always does you heart good…?"

Lee chuckled. "What a coincidence, Tenten!"

Casting a glare at his direction, Tenten marched right back to her bed, throwing yet another pillow to Lee's head. "Go home. I have to go to work in a few hours."

He clutched the back of his head in confusion. Tenten wasn't going to yell and run after him, accusing him of making the advice up?

"My project manager called last night and told me a new executive director for Parcae Advertising has been introduced in a meeting yesterday. I have to get some sleep." A yawn… and a sly grin graced her face. "But don't think I'm not getting you for making me look _stupid_ with that cardboard thing, Lee. You _better_ watch what you're eating." Lee froze.

"_It's 5 in the morning, right? Tenten really isn't a morning person."_


	2. Chapter 2

_Standard disclaimers apply._

**TODAY'S ADVICE**

_**By Cassandra's Destiny**_

_---_

"Is it true?"

"What is?"

"That Shinji dumped you."

Tenten lifted a brow. She _knew_ Sakura and Ino are best friends. She _knew_ the two shared a flat. She _knew_ Ino was the biggest gossip in the world. But can news really spread _this_ fast?

Her reply was simple. "Yes."

A grin appeared on Ino's face almost instantaneously. "Was she pretty?" Tenten narrowed her eyes at her. She wasn't sure where Ino was getting at, but she didn't like it _at all_. Call it a gut feeling. "Ino, I'm busy."

"Did she have long and silky hair?"

Long and silky hair? Shinji? Since when did her ex-boyfriend become a _she_?

"We better get to work."

Tenten sighed in frustration as she pressed the "up" button on the elevator several times even though she knew it wasn't going to make the elevator faster. But anything was better than conversing with Ino right now, especially since she was prying her nose into her _personal_ matters.

"Was she wearing heels or flats? You know, that really tells _a lot_ about a woman. And was she holding Shinji's hand?"

_Bingo_. Ino was talking about the girl Shinji dumped her for.

"Were they of the same height? Do you know if she's younger or older than Shinji? Younger or older than you? Who do you think is prettier next to Shinji? I know it's rude to ask, but really, Tenten, _who_?"

Tenten remained silent and took a look at her watch; she still had five minutes to burn.

"Are you over him? If you happen to bump at each other on the street, would you acknowledge him? If he's going to invite you to his wedding, would you go?"

Her face was stoic. She will not justify such questions with an answer.

"Did you ever wish he would ask you to marry him?"

Finally, the doors opened. Tenten quickly stepped inside the elevator, knowing full well Ino was in tow. She jammed the "6" button with more force than necessary and leaned back against the wall, waiting for the silver metal doors to close.

"Tenten."

No answer.

"Tenten."

"Ino."

"Do you still love him?"

Again, no answer.

"Tenten?"

Pregnant pause.

Ino rolled her eyes as she turned her back on her, crossing her arms for good measure. "You're _so_ mean, Tenten. I was just _trying_ to make you feel better."

It took a lot of will for Tenten to hold her many come backs and sarcastic remarks. How on earth was asking her such _stupid_ questions a way to make her feel better?

"Maybe you're not ready to talk about him then." Uncrossing her arms, she faced Tenten once more and placed a hand over her shoulder. "How about I ask you something else?"

"How about you get off my case?" She didn't make eye-contact with the blonde girl. Instead, she shut her eyes, hoping to shut out everything else. _Cheers_ to being rude and cranky in the morning.

"Let's see." Putting a finger on her chin, Ino pondered for what seemed to be an _extremely_ short moment for a person actually thinking about something. "Is it true you're now a full-fledged man-hater?"

"Yes." Came her quick reply. There really was no need to deny it. Tenten was a full-fledged man-hater and proud.

Ino looked right past at Tenten. She was being more cranky than she was the last time they saw each other. And for this time, she felt Sakura was right. Something was _definitely_ up _or down_ with their friend.

"Does this have something to do with our sophomore and junior years in high school?"

Her eyes snapped open as she turned to the other girl. Ino felt her glare burning a hole in her head. _Did she say something wrong?_

"I thought _remind-Tenten-of-the-stupid-things-she-has-done_ day was _yesterday_? Or did it become a week-long celebration I didn't get notified of?"

The spite in her voice made Ino want to cower in a corner and cry. An angry Tenten is one she has never been acquainted to, and she has _no intention_ whatsoever of getting to know her. But what did she mean by _remind-Tenten-of-the-stupid-things-she-has-done_ day? Wait, were the things that happened labeled _taboo_ or something? If so, she definitely did _not_ get the memo.

"Sorry, that was uncalled for."

"You're really not a morning person, are you?"

Tenten shook her head no. "Lee woke me up as early as 5 AM to make me twirl and point at this piece of cardboard that'd give me advice or something."

"Today's advice?"

"Yea, that one." She was exasperated. Maybe being dumped one too many times has _finally_ taken a toll on her.

"So you're now a man-hater?"

She stared at the blonde wide-eyed. Doesn't she _ever_ stop digging for good gossip? "Yes."

"I say you're not going to last."

Tenten stepped out of the elevator as soon as the silver metal doors parted. Silently wishing Ino would get off her case even just _this_ morning, she made a turn for her office desk.

"You've been in the dating scene since forever, Tenten! You can't just pull yourself out of it whenever you want to. It's not that easy."

Alas, Ino trailed her still.

"I can't pull myself out whenever I want to, you say? Well, just _watch me_."

"Tenten." Her voice held a hint of authority in it. Sure enough, Ino has always been an expert in love issues, but right now, Tenten really didn't _Doctor Love_ or whatnot. What she needed was to work hard and expand her career.

"You have been dating since we were in high school. You've dated dozens of guys already, and, for this instance, let us allow the fact that all your relationships have failed _slide_."

"Ino."

"Yes?"

"I've been in the dating scene for the wrong reasons."

_Aha!_ So it _has_ something to do with what happened back in high school! "And those reasons being…?"

"Don't act dumb. I _know_ you _know_ full well what I'm talking about."

Ino frowned. Maybe the whole high school incident was taboo after all.

"I bet you won't last."

Tenten stared at her incredulously. Was Ino questioning her _will_ to be _single_? "I bet I will."

"I strongly say otherwise."

"Well, I beg to differ."

"And you'll be dating another man in less than a week."

Tenten lifted an eyebrow. "Is that a challenge?"

"Maybe."

"Ino."

"Take it however you want it. _Listen to me_, Tenten. You've been used to going out with guys almost every weekend. It's in your nature to find someone to spend the day with or something. You are _Tenten_, the girl who tries her luck with _every single guy_ on earth. And now you intend to leave the dating scene? Well, I say you are… Not. Going. To. Last."

Ino smoothed out her white skirt as she prepared to leave. "And, oh, Tenten?"

"Yes?"

"You know that I love you, right?"

She shrugged.

"But I _so_ hate you in the morning."

With that, Ino walked away, leaving a highly amused Tenten. _Sweet gossiper Ino_.

* * *

"You called for me, sir?"

Tenten shut the door behind her, smoothening out the creases on her blouse. "Is there anything you wish for me to do?"

"Take a seat."

Slowly, she sat on the chair opposite Kakashi's desk. Kakashi has been her project manager from the day she entered Parcae Advertising. He was a talented trademark attorney and the spearhead of many successful advertising campaigns. "Tenten."

"Sir?"

"There has been some structural changes at Parcae, and I know you will agree with me when I say they are indeed for the better."

Tenten clasped and unclasped her fingers at an anxious pace. _Was she getting fired?_

"A request of your transfer has been made. Beginning tomorrow, I am no longer your superior." Kakashi's statement was blunt and frank. There were no hints of disagreement or regret, just the act of him doing his job right.

"But, sir, you have been my superior from the day I arrived here. With _all_ due respect, how can I be transferred? How can I not be asked to stay in your department?"

"Tenten," Kakashi began on a clear note. He has already expected Tenten to retaliate, to question the decision of their superiors. _True_, she was a good employee and subordinate, but even he had no power to undo their superiors' decisions. "You have been working for me since that time, indeed, and I thank you for being a hard-working subordinate. However,"

Tenten didn't like where this was going. She felt like a kid being asked to transfer to another class after making so many friends in her old one, and it _wasn't _a comforting feeling _at all_.

"Hyuuga Neji, the new executive director, has implemented some changes in the company, which, of course, will be effective tomorrow. He understands you have been under me for a long time, and he wishes to change that from here on. _Change_ might be good for you, Tenten."

To hell with change.

Slamming a hand on Kakashi's desk, she let out a violent, unladylike groan. "But what does the executive director know? He's _new_, right? How can he implement changes when he _clearly_ does _not_ understand how things are going around the company yet? He hasn't even seen us _in action_!"

Ignoring her outburst, Kakashi handed her a folder. "Here are the things you need for your transfer. Be sure to file the papers accordingly. You may now leave."

With the folder in hand, she left, closing the door behind her. Tenten took a shaky breath. It was embarrassing that she spoke that way to her superior. Moreover, she has _clearly_ disrespected the foundations and executives of Parcae Advertising Company. But you know what else?

To hell with Hyuuga Neji.

* * *

"I brought cake of chocolate youthfulness!" Lee expertly shut the door behind him with one hand, while balancing his gift for Tenten in another.

"Tenten?"

"I'm in the kitchen!"

Advancing to the room where Tenten was, he was surprised to see his _tomboyish _childhood friend actually painting her toes. "What's the occasion?"

"I'm pissed."

_What's new?_ Lee settled on a chair next to her, placing the cake on the kitchen counter. "What's up?"

"I've been called by Kakashi this morning."

"And?"

"I got transferred." She replied flatly, still focusing her eyes on her now-painted toes.

"You're pissed because…?"

"The new executive director is such a _smart ass_!" Placing the small nail polish brush back to its bottle, Tenten continued her rambling. "He doesn't know _anything_ about the company, then he makes changes? That's just loads of crap, I tell you! He's the new executive director, yes, but he's _new_! And that means he has to see first what was going on in the company before making such _drastic_ decisions!"

Lee decided to make a slice of cake ready for Tenten. Eating sweets has always been a therapy for an angry girl, and he can attest to that.

"You know what else? I am one of those he transferred! I don't know why, but maybe he's just picking on me. I mean, _Ino _didn't get transferred. The _damn bums_ in the AV department still had their old jobs, for crying out loud!" She grabbed a fork and began eating the slice of cake Lee silently offered her. "Do I have a _'pick on me'_ sign on my forehead or something?"

"Tenten."

"What?"

Sighing loudly, Lee got a slice of cake for himself. "Have you gotten any good advice today?"

"You mean the cardboard?"

Frustrated as she is, he could not believe she still does not hold any respect for today's advice when it is one of the pilot products of Hinata's new specialty store. Why, Naruto even had the glow of his _youthfulness_ brightened to an extent when he was proudly handing out the samples to them! He only hoped Tenten would stop dissing the piece of cardboard. "Yes, have you?"

"Huh? Well, yea, I did it when I came back from work."

"And today's advice is?"

"Ugh," she settled back into her thoughts. "When policy fails, try thinking."

"And have you?"

She filled two glasses with cold water from the fridge and looked sternly at Lee. "What is it with you and these open-ended questions tonight?" Handing a glass to Lee, she drank the water from hers before giving her answer. "No."

"Tenten."

"Lee."

"Tenten."

"Lee."

"Tenten."

"Is there any particular reason why we do this _all _the time?"

"Tenten."

"Lee."

"Tenten."

"I _hate_ the new executive director."

"Tenten."

"To hell with _Hyuuga Neji_."

"Tente—wait. What did you say?"

Getting another slice of cake, Tenten responded nonchalantly. "To hell with Hyuuga Neji."

Lee took a moment of silence. If he was going to drop a bomb on her _again_, he had to be sure of his facts. Taking a deep breath, he fired away. "Tenten." He began slowly and surely. _No need to be hasty now, Lee_. Tenten will kill him anyway so he took his sweet time. "Isn't Hyuuga Neji the name of that guy that—"

Wide-eyed in realization, Tenten dropped her fork on the kitchen floor. "Oh shit."


	3. Chapter 3

_Standard disclaimers apply._

**TODAY'S ADVICE**

_**By Cassandra's Destiny**_

---

"How could I have forgotten?"

"_You labeled it taboo remember? No one talked about it ever. Plus, you forced it to the back, back, back part of your youthful mind. No wonder you wouldn't remember at first. Don't beat yourself up, Tenten The flames of your shining youth shall continue to shine!"_

Lee's words last night rang in her head. _True_, no one was allowed to talk about it in the last five years or so. _True_, it was labeled taboo. _True_, she forced it to the back, back, back part of her _youthful_ mind, but that was only because she couldn't force the memory _out_ of it. And can't Lee take a break from all those youthfulness thing, even _just once_?

"Tenten?" The deep-pitched voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "Shikamaru?"

Slightly annoyed and obviously not amused, he opened his office door wider, gesturing her to come in. "Take a seat."

"If this is going to be brief, I'd rather not."

"Alright." A shrug. "I guess it's only right for me to say welcome."

"Welcome?" Her eyes trailed Shikamaru's movements. As soon as he sat down before the huge executive-type table beside her, realization dawned to Tenten. "_You_ are my new boss?"

He paid no heed to the incredulous tone in her voice. Shikamaru deemed arguing with her as _troublesome_ as arguing with her back in the days. "Yes." Her question was _simple_ so his reply was _simple_. There was no need for unnecessary explanations.

"Shikamaru." Came her sharp call. "The _lazy bum_ in high school is my new _boss_?" Tenten let out an unladylike snort, same as the one she had during her confrontation with Kakashi. "I didn't even know you worked here!"

He rubbed the back of his neck in slight irritation. He knew being assigned with a new _female_ subordinate will be troublesome, but being assigned to _Tenten_ is a different story altogether. "Parcae is a big company. I didn't even know Ino worked here 'til she passed me your files."

Taking a seat opposite Shikamaru, there was a slight twinkle in her eyes as she asked. "So you've seen Ino?"

He raised a brow. Did she think Ino passed him her papers without being seen?

"How come Ino didn't tell me about your meeting?"

Their meeting? Was he not _supposed_ to see Ino?

"I mean, I know the two of you were always group mates and stuff back in the days, and you also went to different parties together, but that was only because she couldn't find a decent date and she had to drag you all around. I'm not asking 'cause you like her or anything, and she doesn't _like you_ like you anyway. I'm just asking because then she would have known what happened to you in the past few years. Well, when we graduated, we all heard you were seeing someone but we never really…"

"Tenten." If she was going to ramble, it would have to be at a different time, and at a place other than his office. "Ino passed me your papers as soon as Kakashi released them. It's a standard operating procedure here in Parcae Advertising, or did you not know that?"

His last five words hit a nerve. After many years of not seeing each other, Shikamaru's careless, thoughtless, effortless, _everything__but_ witty-less use of words still got under her skin. "I know the operations here at Parcae, Shikamaruru. It's not my fault I got transferred."

Rubbing his temples, he let his free hand open the folder containing Tenten's files. "So you've been working under Kakashi since you came here." She nodded. "By the way, he says you shouldn't take things too personally."

Her brows practically shot up. "What?"

"Kakashi says you shouldn't take things too personally, take _this_ too personally."

"Did Kakashi _really_ say that?" Tenten sneered at him. "Or did you just make that up?"

"He did." A shrug again. "He also says you have to continue to work hard. And he gave me this speech about being a catalyst for change."

She lifted an eyebrow. "Funny. That was the advice I got off the cardboard this morning too."

"Cardboard?"

"You know, that piece of cardboard you stick to the wall that makes you close your eyes, do a three-sixty and point at a certain box for you to read after? This morning I got 'be a catalyst for change, not a complainer'. Must've been a coincidence."

"I see." Shikamaru was not the least bit interested. "Heard you threw quite a fit when you found out about your transfer."

Tenten scowled. If this was _remind-Tenten-of-the-stupid-things-she-has-done_ day again, Shikamaru's statement wouldn't have qualified. She had no regrets about throwing a fit. To hell with Hyuuga Neji… yesterday… Today. And tomorrow. "I have reasons to believe life is playing a big joke on me."

Shikamaru sat back. This was going to be a long, ire-filled exchange, especially on Tenten's part. "How so?"

"I was one of the very few people who got transferred."

"In your point of view."

She stared at him hard, trying to make out the point he was attempting to come across. "What do you mean?"

"You think it's raining on you. _Just_ on you. When in fact, it's raining all over the globe." His face was filled with disinterest, and if Tenten didn't know any better, she'd say he was bluffing. _"But this is Shikamaru I'm talking with."_

"Are you saying I'm just imagining things and am acting crazy?"

"Don't put words in my mouth, Tenten. All I'm saying is you think the whole world is against you. You think the weight of the entire state or continent is on your shoulder, when it _clearly_ isn't."

"Remind me how the new _executive director_ has made that _clear_?" Tenten couldn't recall if Shikamaru ever knew Hyuuga Neji, or if he has ever heard of him before Parcae. Nevertheless, she knew he wouldn't care. Shikamaru's _special_ like that, special without a care in the world.

"The new system is simple and makes a lot of sense—"

"How?" Even with the knowledge of how rude and unnecessary it is, she cut him of.

Closing the folder before him, he lets out a long sigh. "On one hand, in the old system, everyone was divided into departments. We have the ones for names, commercial design, audio-visual, and your department, just to name a few. On the other hand, in the new system, everyone is divided into teams. Each team consisting of one or two people from the previously established departments. That way—"

"It doesn't make sense." Her head told her it was logical and carefully planned, but her heart told her otherwise. _"There has to be a loophole."_

"Tenten." Shikamaru began slowly. "If you're not going to listen to me and make me finish, even the _alphabet_ wouldn't make sense."

She parted her lips to retort, but Shikamaru beat her to it. "Remember what Kakashi said? Don't take things too personally. Don't take _this_ too personally. If you have issues with the _new system_, fine. Take it up to those in-charge. But if you have issues with _Hyuuga Neji_, don't vent out on the system and Parcae Advertising."

Tenten wanted to appear nonchalant. Tenten wanted to look like she doesn't care. She wanted to make it seem like Shikamaru's comment did not affect her. She wanted him to feel it's the system she has issues with, _not_ Hyuuga Neji.

"So you _do_ know?"

"Know what?" He scuffed the back of his arm. _Women really are troublesome._

"Hyuuga Neji."

He set her gaze on her. Seeing her rock solid position, Shikamaru fought the urge to call her bluff. No need to make her fuming mad now. "He's my boss, right?" His reply was, again, simple.

"Shikamaru." Came her sharp tone once more. He made a note to himself: irritated women equals sharp and cold tone; sharp and cold tone equals trivial and troublesome matters; therefore, irritated women equals trivial and troublesome matters. "Tenten."

"Shikamaru."

"I don't have time for this." He stood up and walked a few paces to his office window. "I neither know what really happened that time nor am I aware what kind of person Hyuuga Neji was. Ino just told me it was really horrible and it's something you'd rather forget. My advice to you is _forget_, Tenten. Let the matter _slide_. And," he paused, turning to face her once more. "You are dismissed."

Tenten sighed. _It's official. Men are dull and stupid._

* * *

"Ino."

"Tenten."

"Ino."

"Tenten."

"Ino."

"You do this with Lee all the time, but I'm _really_ not up for it."

"Fine. Why didn't you tell me?"

Ino blew on her bangs. "If this is about the bug I let Shino hide in your desk last week, I'm _sorry_ I didn't tell you, okay? I mean, would you have let me if I did?"

"I'm not talking about the—you did _what_?" Tenten's voice went up a notch higher. The title for _worst day ever_ is probably up for grabs, she just didn't know it until now.

Ino paced nervously before flipping her hair to the side. Little did she know, Tenten knew her well enough to know she was trying her hardest to keep her cool. "Shino said the bug was harmless. It just needed a place to stay."

"And you offered _my desk_?" Replies come fast this time around.

"Yes."

"Have you no shame, woman? You let a bug live on my desk for heaven knows how long—"

"Three days tops."

"_Three days?_ I shared my desk with a bug for _three days_ and you didn't bother telling me?"

Ino chuckled nervously. "As I've said, the bug was harmless."

"Was?"

"Uh, wrong choice of words. It _is_ harmless."

"Ino."

"Tenten."

"Ino."

"Tenten."

"I thought you weren't up for this."

Her reply was delayed. "Sorry?"

Tenten let out an irritated sigh before settling on her new office space. "Did you let Shino let transient bugs enter this desk _too_? Or do you now ask for _monetary compensation_?"

Ino knew the venom in her tone was nothing if not authentic. _"What time is it anyway?"_

"Oh, and are you going to tell me you _so_ hate me in the morning _too_? Because right now, I so hate you for not telling me Hyuuga Neji is the new executive director!"

So this is what everything is about. _Hyuuga Neji_. "I didn't—"

"You didn't know? I didn't ask you to lie to me, Ino. I'm sure as hell you knew about our new executive director. You were here when he was introduced, while I, on the other hand, was selling muffins each with a _distinct flame of youthfulness_!"

Ino was taken aback. Distinct flame of youthfulness, she says?

"I didn't have an opportunity to tell you yesterday, Tenten."

She scowled. "You had _every_ opportunity yesterday, Ino! You were like one of Shino's bug I couldn't shake off. You kept on _following me_, asking me weird questions and _not once_ did you mention about the _new executive director_!"

_Can someone please fast forward time to after lunch?_ "…Sorry?"

* * *

The door chimes went off.

"Good morning, ma'am. Welcome to the Bakeshop of Youth where the pastries… Oh, hi Tenten!"

"Hey." The bakeshop was empty at the moment so Tenten opted to occupy the table nearest the counter.

"Tenten? Did I hear Tenten's name?" Following the voice, Tenten saw Lee, wearing his usual apron of youth to match the eternal burning flames of the Bakeshop of Youth. "Hi Lee."

Carefully placing a tray of freshly-baked pastries on the shelves, Lee noted the disinterest in Tenten's tone. "Is it lunch time already?"

"I got off early for my break."

She was staring blankly into space, making Sakura and Lee glance at each other in apprehension. Sakura was almost afraid to ask, but as a friend, it was her duty to do so. "What's wrong?"

She snorted, a habit she seemed to have developed only a few days ago.

"You really shouldn't pay attention to Hyuuga Neji, Tenten. That was a long time ago." If Sakura remained uncertain on asking her about the key issues, Lee did not waste any time clearing out the air. Urging the girl beside her to do the same, Sakura advanced to Tenten's table. "I heard you got transferred because of Hyuuga Neji, but the change might be good for you, Tenten." She paused, taking a seat opposite the girl. "Hyuuga Neji is the executive director after all. He knows his job is on the line should he make wrong decisions for Parcae."

Silence.

Refilling the water dispenser, Lee wished he had ear muffs ready in his pockets. The grenade will explode in T minus 5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

"You know what?" Tenten snapped. Her eyes were burning a hole in the Bakeshop of Youth. It's a good thing that was _physically impossible_ at the moment. "I'm _sick_ of hearing Hyuuga Neji's name. I come here to eat and relax, and _what_ do you do? You go all 'Hyuuga Neji, Hyuuga Neji, Hyuuga Neji, Hyuuga Neji, Hyuuga Neji'! Are you people _in love_ with Hyuuga Neji's name? Or are you _in love_ with Hyuuga Neji's himself? Oh, let's not _forget_ about what _Hyuuga Neji_ did, okay? Let's not forget _Hyuuga Neji_ is the guy that—"

"Tenten."

The door chimes went off.

"Good morning, ma'am. Welcome to the Bakeshop of Youth… oh my!" After attempting to deliver her epic of a greeting, Sakura rushed to the old lady, probably not younger than sixty years old, at the door. "Is there anything I can do for you, ma'am?"

"Well, I'm looking for this address, dearie." Her speech was slow and her voice raspy. She brought out a small piece of yellow paper from her purse, handing it to Sakura for her to read. "This is just next door, ma'am. Do you want me to accompany you?" Smiling to the younger girl, the lady gently retrieved her small note and bowed politely to Sakura. "There's no need, dearie. Thank you." Sakura offered a kind smile in return. "Thank you for coming, ma'am. Please visit the Bakeshop of…" The old lady was already out the door. "Please come again." She huffed, closing the door gently behind her back.

"Tenten." Sakura took a few steps forward, cautious and calculating. There really is _no need_ to raise one's voice in the Bakeshop of Youth; they might scare away the youthful customers awaiting a very youthful meal. _Wait_, did she just say youthful _voluntarily_? And _twice_?

"Lee said his name once and I said it twice. You, on the other hand, said it…"

"Ten times." Lee supplied the count for her. "Have you actually seen him?"

Tenten buried her face in her hands. "Please don't say that Lee. You might jinx it."

A loud song suddenly filled the shop. Tenten pulled out her phone from her purse. "Hello?"

Lee heaved a sigh, signaling Sakura to come behind the counter to help him refill the donut trays. Who would've thought the whole Hyuuga Neji thing will blow up in their faces in the aftermath of more than five years? Certainly not him, not Sakura, and _definitely_ not Tenten.

"Guess who my new boss is?" Looking up from the counter, Sakura asked, "I thought Hyuuga—"

"Who?" Lee cut her off. He wasn't going to allow her to say his name _again_, then send Tenten to an outrage _larger than life_.

"Shikamaru." She stated simply, placing her phone back in her bag.

"Shikamaru? Nara Shikamaru?"

"Yes. Shikamaru, Nara Shikamaru, lazy ass Shikamaru. You get the drill." Slowly, Tenten stood from her seat and slung her bag over her shoulder. "And guess what he just asked me to do?"

The fake delight and elation in her voice made Lee and Sakura cringe. "What?" Again, fearless Lee dared ask.

"Shikamaru says he's out for an important conference until this afternoon so…" She trailed off, taking in a deep breath before continuing. "He asked me to take his place in the meeting with our _executive director_, Hyuuga Neji." She shot Lee a look before heading for the door. "I _told you_ not to jinx it."


	4. Chapter 4

_Standard disclaimers apply._

**TODAY'S ADVICE**

_**By Cassandra's Destiny**_

---

_Breathe, Tenten_.

The taxi ride from the bakeshop to the office building took no more than ten minutes. Much to her dismay, there were no traffic jams, no street accidents, no broken stoplights, and no police chases. She would have walked all the way to buy her more time to prepare herself emotionally, but the thought of having to face Hyuuga Neji in her worn-out burned-out state did not appeal to her _at all_. She promised herself, at least two seconds ago, that should she ever have the misfortune of crossing his path in the next hour or so, she was going to look presentable: nothing too fancy, perhaps, but nothing dreary and humiliating either, which includes dry, frizzy hair, and sweat stains on her clothes.

Stepping inside the elevator, she pressed the button that says "top" and leaned back, slowly running her hands through her skirt as if to smoothen heaps of imaginary creases. She bit her lip, glanced at her watched, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as the silver metal doors closed.

"Hyuuga Neji," she uttered, almost with caution.

After long years of denying, forgetting and blocking him from her mind, she was finally going to go face to face with Hyuuga Neji, the bastard who bastardized her every bastardizing moment many years ago.

Tenten sighed. _"That'd be giving him too much credit though."_

As the elevator doors opened, she took a deep breath, making certain to hold her head up high before walking to the assistant's desk.

"He went out for early lunch. Do you have an appointment?" Lysa asked, eyes and hands occupied with the computer screen and mouse, a company branded pen acting as a makeshift hair stick to her medium-length black locks.

"An appointment?" Tenten paused for thought. There really was no need for her to assert herself more than necessary. It wouldn't be a point against her if the meeting would be postponed, or forgotten altogether. Shikamaru never did mention in his phonecall that it was a do or die situation for their team. Besides, she came when and where her boss asked her to; when the executive director wishes to have lunch is completely beyond her control.

"Well," she bit her tongue. _"Maybe this is a sign. The heavens don't want to force me to have a close encounter with the one guy that—"_

"Lysa, I'm here for an 11:30 appointment."

The deep baritone voice coming from far behind her not only sent shivers down her spine, but also projected powerful waves of sensuality. It took all her strength, and undeniable love for dignity, to control her _passion_ to act like a girly-girl. _"Not now,"_ she notes mentally.

"11:30 appointment?" Lysa clicked her computer mouse, checking the pre-approved appointments for the day. "There must have been a mix-up, sir. He hasn't arrived yet."

"A call?"

There it goes again. _"Oh, for the love of…"_ Tenten held her breath. _"Pull yourself together, girl. Man hater. Man hater. Man hater."_

"Shikamaru's never this irresponsible. Did he send anyone from his team?"

And she froze.

"I'll be in my office."

Tenten shut her eyes tight as the footsteps got nearer, then farther, preceding the creak of the door.

"Miss?"

She peeked through an open eye. It wasn't a surprise that Lysa looked at her like she had mental issues. _"Technically, I do have issues with this meeting."_

"Do you have an appointment?" Her dark brown eyes were staring right at her, and it made Tenten a little self-conscious. "Actually," she began, opening both her eyes and regaining her posture. "I'm from Shikamaru's team. He sent me to meet with Hyuuga Neji in his absence."

"Oh, if that is the case, please do hurry inside. Hyuuga-sama is waiting."

"_Here goes."_

* * *

A wary approach. Tenten made her way to the middle of the room, trying her best to control the clicking of her nearly-flat heels. She felt like a fraidy-cat six-year old child entering a haunted house for the very first time. _"You can do this,"_ she cheers herself on. _"He might not even recognize you."_

The empty executive chair welcomed her. _"Such a warm reception,"_ she notes, taking in the obvious details of the room's interior. Walls were painted a light shade of gray, black window panes framing elegant crème roller shades, and laminated wood filled the entire floor area. Everything in the room screamed elegance, masculinity and high class. By the same note, all pieces of furniture seemed to have been bought at the same time, seeing how they all match. And of course, given this observation, what caught Tenten's attention was something, an item, that was totally out of place. A red embroidery box was placed on the top shelf next to the large table. Slowly, she began walking towards the shelf; merely glancing at it gave her this odd feeling deep in her stomach. She doesn't know why or how, but that box –

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

For the second time today, she _froze_, a habit she seemed to have picked up only recently.

"I, well…" Trailing off and head down in shame of intrusion, she turned to apologize. As soon as she lifted her head, and her eyes met with his –

_And the door chimes went on._

"_Good afternoon, sir. Welcome to the Bakeshop of Youth where the pastries are always burning with the flames of our youthful…" Sakura instantly stood up and began reciting the epic of a greeting to the new customer. Rudely enough, he ignored the girl and headed straight for the counter where Tenten was getting her act together. "Good afternoon, sir. Welcome to the Bakeshop of Youth where the pastries—"_

"_I'll have a coffee and a glazed kiwi tart, I guess. Please make it fast; I'm kind of in a hurry right now."_

_Tenten's mind stopped functioning after the words coffee and tart. The man standing before her was…wait, her mind stopped functioning, remember?_

"_Miss?"_

_She blinked. "Oh, sorry." She murmured, taking note of his long dark hair, pale eyes, strong and sharp facial features, long and lean body. Everything about this man screamed sensuality. He was the perfect epitome of masculinity. Tenten thought._

"_That'd be one coffee and a glazed kiwi tart on the go?" He gazed at her with disinterest and nodded._

"Hi," was the only thing that came out her mouth. The moment that word escaped her lips, she wanted to stuff a muffin in her face. The moment she saw one of the man's perfectly shaped brows shoot up, she wanted to _bury_ herself in a pool of muffins.

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

"…"

"Miss?"

_Long dark hair, pale eyes, strong and sharp facial features, long and lean body in a perfectly cut designer suite. Shit. Man-hater, man-hater, man-hater._

"A response any time this century would suffice." Sensual, yes, but the slight irritation evident in his tone made Tenten snap back to her senses.

"_Men are so impatient,"_ she told herself, straightening her back and folding her hands in front of her. "I'm here to speak with the executive director in behalf of my boss, Nara Shikamaru."

The man, who Tenten hates very much, made his way to the executive chair. Sitting down, he begins, "Hyuuga Neji, Executive Director of Parcae's Advertising."

Her jaw dropped. "Oh." _How could she not have put two and two and three and three together?_

"Kindly take a seat," a small gesture. "And let's talk."


	5. Chapter 5

_Standard disclaimers apply._

**TODAY'S ADVICE**

_**By Cassandra's Destiny**_

---

Careful not to trip over air and make a scene, she settled herself on a seat opposite him.

"Shikamaru had an accident?"

She almost jumped on her chair at the sound of his voice. This was _insane_. She knew meeting him again would be _awkward_, but not something she'd go _fidgeting_ for.

"There was a conflict in his schedule," she paused, waiting for some kind of reaction from the _esteemed _Executive Director, but he gave none. "Apparently, the conference he went to earlier this morning didn't start on the dot, hence the over time."

He only nodded in response to her explanation, and it fueled irrational anger in her. Can he be any more stoic? Also, can this man be any ruder? He didn't even ask for her name!

"He asked me to take his place in his meeting with you and—"

"It's not an issue. Team heads always take the liberty of sending their subordinates." He raised a hand to stop Tenten who was about to reply before adding, "You must've done something to make him trust you enough with the matters that are to be disclosed in this conversation."

She fought the urge to be outright disrespectful and raise an irate brow. "Perhaps he's doing a rain check on his _new team_."

Now Neji was amused. "How do you think he's finding the new system?"

"The new system?" She was going to give him a piece of his mind. "I bet he thinks it's downright crazy."

Paying no heed to Neji's lifted eyebrow, she continued with a passion _so youthful_, Lee would have to create a new muffin recipe to be patterned after it. "It's _inefficient _and too hastily decreed. The old system worked _mighty fine_ for us old employees and clearly, a new one is unneeded. To add to that, the change was not company-wide. Some people from marketing didn't get transferred; the snobs in finance didn't get transferred; heck, even the idiot bums in the AV department didn't get transferred! You don't see them pacing up and down the building, packing their things neatly in a box, only to have it moved to the next floor or the next room!" At this point, she slammed her hand on the desk, raising the volume of her voice.

"Old ties have been destroyed by this new system. I can only imagine how _difficult_ it was for decade-old partnerships to have been dissolved. Teams who have gone through hell and back for dozens of projects, too, considering they're already like a family, have been broken up. What kind of new system would _do_ that to a company that worked fine without it?" Realizing she was now on her feet and shouting at her superior, she took a breather.

"Those are Shikamaru's sentiments, I assume?"

Not making eye contact as she sat back down, Tenten fumbled with the last button on her blouse. "I can only speculate on the matter."

Neji shook his head, an obvious smirk evident on his face. "I doubt Shikamaru would go out of his way to come up with a complaint as _fervent_ as that one."

Tenten bit her inner cheek. Is _that_ what he thought of his subordinates, employees _too lazy_ to file a decent complaint? Is _that_ what he thought of Parcae Advertising, some _mediocre_ company who'd cater to the clients' every whim without consideration? Is _that_ why he decided to implement a _new_ system? Is it because he knew _no one_ would bother asking questions, let alone go against it?

The very thought of it had her fuming mad.

"Your team has been assigned to a special project."

She watched him as he rolled in his chair to the filing cabinet near the window. At that moment, Tenten took the time to analyze his body. She wondered if he worked out in a gym, or played any sport professionally. Her eyes roamed over his back, which rippled with muscles as he continuously shifted in search for a file. He took off his overcoat, she noted, leaving him clothed in an ecru button down shirt with cashmere silver cuff links. She instinctively ran her fingers over her skirt, resulting to scratch marks she'd have to conceal with a folder when she exits his office. His shirt was the right size and his cuff links were shiny – _not to mention sexy_ – as hell.

Her eyes flew to staring at the top shelf of the drawer when he went back to his desk, two separate folders in hand.

"_That box…"_ She couldn't shake off the familiarity she held of it.

"It's a project for my cousin," he said with his unnaturally nonchalant tone, drawing Tenten's attention to the papers he sprawled on the table. "She wants to set up a novelty store."

"Like a gift shop?"

"I suppose so." He browsed through a couple of stapled documents in hand. "It's a special project for Parcae; my cousin wants arrangements to be made as soon as possible."

"When does she intend to begin operations?"

It was strange, really. At first she was fidgeting, obviously tensed over their would-be conversation. Then she was beside herself, shouting to her superior about the new system. Moments later, she was checking him out, scratching her skirt like some _hormonal creature_ who allowed her primal instincts take over, then suddenly, she's acting so _corporate_ around him.

She _really_ was an oxymoron.

"She plans to have the grand opening weeks after the wedding. I think Hinata has this firm hold on the belief that a woman instantly gets pregnant on her honeymoon night, and learns about it upon returning to her home town."

Wedding?

"She imagines herself to be too pregnant to do anything else prior to the perinatal period, and finds nothing better to do than managing a novelty store that is, in her words, simple yet dainty."

Tenten's mind was still stuck on his words a few statements back. "Hinata's getting married?"

"You know my cousin?"

Her eyes widened. Did she say that _out loud_? "Well, we've actually…"

"In fact, the wedding's arranged to be some time this fall."

Fall? She always thought of Hinata as a spring bride.

He cleared up a few papers on the side to dig up an envelope under them. In it was a photograph he showed to Tenten. "It's a picture my cousin sent me; she spent the summer with her fiancé."

"She's getting married to _Naruto_?"

The moment the question escaped her lips, she wanted to hit her head on the desk, or better yet, dunk her head on the toilet at home. Like the question about Hinata getting married, she said that out loud too.

"You know Naruto as well?" He had a brow raised; if it was of curiosity from how she knew the two of them or if it was of repulsion for her having had stalked his family for heaven knows how long, she couldn't tell.

A lump was forming on her throat. "Naruto is a friend of a friend." It wasn't a lie. Naruto really is a friend of a friend, Rock Lee being that certain friend. _"So that's what the party was for."_

He stayed silent, so she took it as a cue to continue her explanation. "As for Hinata, well, she's also a friend of a friend." Said friend being either Sakura or Ino; it really didn't matter which one.

He only parted his lips for an almost inaudible 'ah' and it bothered her. Did she make a fool of herself in front of Hyuuga Neji _again_?

Tenten remained silent for the rest of the briefing, drowned in the utmost fear of saying something stupid or doing something that'd make her look more like a creepy stalker. She was listening to the corporate things he was telling her, a string of words she took down mentally but didn't bother responding to. _An occasional nod would suffice_, she initially thought, but as time progressed, she resolved that an occasional "oh" and "uh-huh" would be good too. Not that he minded, of course; she knew he hated it when people began to blabber about useless things.

"And Shikamaru will be the one to decide on that?"

"Yes."

Whatever was said after was completely lost to her. She instead used the time to ponder on what is known to her so far regarding what she concluded to be a delicate situation. So, Hyuuga Neji appeared to be surprised when he found out she knew who Hinata was, more so when she hinted she knew Naruto as well.

"Do you think Shikamaru would be alright with the strict time constraint?"

As realization hit her, she can only nod.

_Was it even possible?_ Apparently so. Hyuuga Neji has _no_ idea who she is… or was, still is, was, whatever. If she was to throw a celebratory lunch out with her closest friends for this, she isn't sure yet.

"_Maybe he's only pretending to not know me." _Or he does know her, only he hasn't been able to put two and two together yet._"But Neji's smarter than that."_ So, maybe he does remember who she is, but hasn't recognized her fully. "And I bet he'd choose to keep his mouth shut until he arrives at a full confirmation."

"Who'd choose to keep his mouth shut?"

She matched his incredulous look with a look that says,_ I said that out loud again, didn't I, so just lend me a brown bag so I can hide my shame and walk out of your office quietly in hopes of saving face_.

"What?" It did not sound like a question, really. It came out more like a small squeaking sound.

Neji only shrugged. "I was asking if anyone in your team from the art department would be interested in being temporarily assigned to another project, since there seems to be an overflow of manpower for Hinata's novelty store."

Tenten's mouth now opened in surprise, but he left her no allowance to explain herself. "I suppose Shikamaru would refuse to give a tentative answer before confirming with his team." His mouth pressed into a straight line, before continuing. "Good to know Shikamaru still possesses the qualities of a good leader."

Still possesses? Does that mean he remembers him from back in the days?

"I suppose that is all the information I need to divulge for today, and more than the information you need to know of in a lifetime."

_Cocky and gallingly corporate._ She can only cringe inwardly.

"If you don't mind," he began, standing up as if in seeing her out. "I have a teleconference in ten minutes I'd like to prepare for. On your way out, kindly inform Lysa I'll be busy and I'd appreciate it if I won't be disturbed."

In an almost robotic fashion, completely dazed and befuddled, she rose from her seat and paced forward. She was reaching out to open the door when his voice stopped her.

"Tell Shikamaru he still needs to see me for missing this meeting." With a firm grip on the handle, she made a mental note of that. "And thank you for your time… Tenten."

A soft wailing sound from the back of her throat, and she hurriedly turned the knob to rush to the adjacent room, slamming the door behind her.

Heart pounding, eyes wide and pulse rate at an all time high, she replayed his words in his head, clearly troubled.

"_And thank you for your time… Tenten."_

No.

"_And thank you for your time… Tenten."_

Perhaps if she rewound farther back.

"…_for missing the meeting. And thank you for your time… Tenten."_

Still no.

"…_for missing the meeting. And thank you for your time… Tenten."_

A little further?

"_Tell Shikamaru he still needs to see me for missing this meeting. And thank you for your time… Tenten."_

She took in a deep, deep breath.

"_Thank you for your time… Tenten."_

And let out a heavy exhale.

"_Tenten."_

Scanning the crowd, she settled her gaze on a young woman standing next to the unusually empty assistant's desk. She was carrying a rather large package with her, covered in violet and gold wrapping paper. "Uhm, excuse me, do you know where the secretary is?"

The steps she took towards her signaled her need to stand straight and regain her composure. "The secretary?"

"My name is Leal and I'm a writer for an old affiliate of Parcae actually, the sole foundation that uses literature to save whales. And yea, I'm _blabbering_, but you see, my boss sent me here to deliver this package to the new Executive Director." Tenten was too distracted with the red highlights in her black hair to say something. She had to admit though, the black frames of her glasses were really what highlighted the shade of brown she had for her eye color.

"Hyuuga Neji's the name of the Executive Director, if I remember correctly."

She scoffed, something she had been wanting to do since entering his office. "He's busy."

Tenten was about to walk past the girl when she heard her suppress a giggle.

"I'm sorry. It's just that… so Hyuuga Neji is _busy_. I see. Maybe he's _recovering_… or something."

She was annoyed at first, but decided to think nothing of it. That was until the younger girl had her brows practically shooting up suggestively. "Wha—?" She followed her line of vision, and what she realized made her want to scream.

There she found her, outside Hyuuga Neji's door, gasping, obviously lightheaded. Her heart was pounding, eyes wide, pulse rate at an all time high. She was slightly disheveled from all the fidgeting and the scratch marks on her skirt did not aid her cause.

She glared at the girl. She _did not_ just think she had _wild office sex_ with Hyuuga Neji.

Marching past her, Tenten angrily grabbed a pen and a small sheet of paper, scribbling the words _the Executive Director wishes not to be disturbed_. Slipping the sheet under Lysa's desk, she balled her fist, then made an effort to relax them and keep her chin up.

Fighting the urge to set the girl straight, she headed for the door. "Excuse me; I'll be going now."


	6. Chapter 6

_Standard disclaimers apply._

**TODAY'S ADVICE**

By Cassandra's Destiny

--

The walk to her office desk felt like the longest she has taken her entire life. She scanned the halls from left to right every so often, and scanned the rooms from left to right every two steps. The bathroom break she took after coming down from the top floor was meant for her to collect her thoughts, and straighten out her disheveled look from five minutes ago. Her stay inside the office comfort room, however, had to be over in two minutes tops. She only had time to fix her hair, retouch her light make-up and conceal the nasty scratch marks on her black skirt. At the faintest hint of another person wanting to use the comfort room, she had to rush out the door. Had she forced her right to a five-minute bathroom break, at the very least, her long walk would have been a walk of shame for various reasons.

First, her office mates might start talking and go back to a habit from their pre-school years.

"_She pooted! She pooted! Teacher, she pooted!"_

Tenten wasn't even sure if pooted was in the dictionary, or if the word only existed to torture little kids who spent more time in the comfort room than an average four-year old.

Second, should she show any sign of dizziness, the girls in the room might turn their heads and go back to the times when they first heard about menstruation.

"_Oh my goodness, you barfed, didn't you? That means you're pregnant!"_

"_Pregnant? But I'm not married!"_

"_Mommy says when you get the brownish red thing coming out onto your panties, you can get pregnant!"_

It was fourth grade, she thought, when girls her age first heard about what menstruation was. Most of them felt a mixture of excitement and fear, actually. Excitement because they can no longer be considered babies in their households, and fear because if they get raped, they can possibly conceive a rapist's baby.

"Kids," she muttered under her breath.

Third, the high school curiosity about smoking might resurface.

"_You took an awful long time in the bathroom… Can I borrow a lighter? I won't tell the principal if you won't."_

It was probably one of those phases every teenager goes through – the curiosity, that is. She did not know anyone from her high school days who actually held a cigarette in between his or her fingers and made it a habit. She knew Shikamaru smokes, but it was something that caught on to him only after they graduated.

Tenten sighed. Who knew the amount of time spent in the comfort room may have various implications?

If she had not, though, an idea far worse than her excreting, throwing up or smoking in the comfort room might come around. Like hell, if she hadn't the decency of fixing herself up after that little episode upstairs, there might be replicas of that sick and twisted writer from a while ago, dwelling in their sick and twisted worlds, thinking she was some sick and twisted skank who had a sick and twisted sexual encounter with the _Executive Director_.

Scanning her new team's work room, she made her race to her desk more subtle than it was in the empty halls. The last thing she wanted – getting asked about her meeting with Hyuuga Neji being a close second – was for anyone to suspect something was up. Or down. Or whatever.

That was why she very much against the heavy sigh that escaped her lips as she collapsed into her seat, although still very thankful for the slight privacy her cubicle walls offered her.

She straightened up her posture and closed her eyes in an attempt to normalize her breathing. She had to think of happy thoughts, and nothing but happy thoughts.

_The deep baritone voice, his rippling muscles, his ecru button down shirt, his silver cuff links…_

Her eyes popped open. If currently, that was her idea of happy thoughts, then being sick and twisted was definitely contagious, and she blames no one else but the whale-saving writer from Neji's office. If Hyuuga Neji's physique was her idea of happy thoughts, she had to think of something sad then.

Burying her face in her hands, she couldn't help but feel so vulnerable at the moment. How on earth could Hyuuga Neji – damn, Hyuuga Neji – still have that much power over her?

What did it matter if he was back in her life? It wasn't like he was back for good.

What did it matter if he remembered her name? It wasn't like it meant he remembered everything.

What did it matter if he does remember everything, god forbid? It wasn't like he was ever going to do anything about it.

She let her head drop to her desk, where she let it rest with her eyes staring blankly to the cubicle divider. What really bothered her was how much it bothered her, and perhaps, only her. It didn't seem to matter to him or to anyone else that the two of them have crossed paths after almost a decade.

Of course, it would matter to Lee because he was her best friend, and he knows her more than anyone else does. It would matter to Sakura, too, because she has always been such a loving friend. It would matter to Ino, she supposed, partly because she was also her friend and partly because it was such a sweet dish.

But not one of them will feel the excruciating pain she is feeling. Not one of them will, one of these days, wallow in self-pity and curse the fact that Hyuuga Neji still had the power over them after so many years.

"Knock, knock."

Lifting her head from the desk, her gaze fell on Ino, who was standing by her desk with a lifted eyebrow.

"You're not on coffee break, so company policy dictates that you can't be found lying around."

"Give me a break, Ino."

Halfway through rolling her eyes at Tenten's crabby reply, she retorted. "I can't. I'm not your boss."

Under normal circumstances, Tenten would not press on the matter further. Given the situation, though, she would prefer playing the interrogator rather than the interrogatee. "Have you found out who Shikamaru's dating?"

"Can't say. Our parents have been friends for the longest time. I think we've been friends since we were young, too. But now he won't even dish details about his personal life to me!"

She watched her lean against her desk before questioning her further. "Have you told him what has been going on in your life?"

Ino shook her head no. "What, like randomly ramble about how it's hard to find a man in a world of pigs? That will be weird. Too weird. He's your boss now, and he's sort of my boss, too, just not directly. However way you put it, he's officially my superior."

"If you're not telling, maybe he won't either."

"I suppose."

Shifting in her seat, she turned on the monitor, hopefully giving Ino the hint that she intended to get back to work immediately and did not want to be bothered. With the issue of sharing about happenings in the past to superiors out in the open now, the topic of Hyuuga Neji and high school was not far behind.

"Ino, if you don't mind—"

"Here," she interrupted, placing a long brown envelope and two sliding folders on her desk. "You need to look over the documents in the envelope, and the ones in the folders are for signing."

Before she can unseal the envelope, Ino was already on her way out the work room. "Better be going now since we're still on the clock, and in the many years I've worked at Parcae, I know well enough that the walls have ears."

Then she gave her what she could have sworn was a conspiratorial wink, and closed the door behind her.

* * *

As soon as she unlocked the door to her apartment, she grabbed a bottle of ice cold water from the fridge and dragged a big box from under the CD rack with her name written on it. It needed some dusting off, of course, but after a short while, it was good enough to be carried to her bedroom.

Tenten flopped onto her bed, kicking her shoes off onto the floor. Memories from the past she thought she had forgotten came flooding back.

She saw her baby pictures, pictures with her playmates, of her and Lee in funny costumes, and of her and Sakura on her thirteenth birthday. The pictures were just pictures – unmoving and void of emotions, but there is always a story behind every photograph, and a specific emotion evoked upon seeing every single one.

A small smile graced her lips as she held the pictures of her and Lee during the Christmas party. They were seven, and Lee just received the biggest wrapped-up box known to children. He was grinning like an idiot for the camera as expected, and seven-year old Tenten couldn't help but act naughty and put two fingers above his head. In the next picture, he was sticking her tongue out to him, and she can see a miniature version of herself about to take of her shoes. She remembered wanting to hit Lee, because he told her she was getting nothing but coal for being so naughty.

Lee has always been there for her, despite the many times she made of fun of him. Before stepping into high school, she was sure that everything in the world can go wrong and still she would be fine, as long as she had her best friend by her side. Naturally, like all wide-eyed teenagers with a strong hold on their beliefs and aspirations, entering high school meant those were to be stepped on and damaged, if not entirely crushed. All of Lee's optimism and kindness were not enough to prevent the brand of torture she went through. But still, she could not imagine how things would have been without him.

"_Here." In came Lee, intruding on her personal space, on what was meant to be her alone time, shoving a bowl of soup on her face._

"_What's this?" Her voice came out raspy, probably from being unused the entire weekend._

"_Pumpkin soup," she felt the mattress shift as he answered. "It doesn't stop the hurting, but it sure cushions the blow."_

_When she neither replied nor took a sip, he continued. "Tenten, a person can only cry so much in a day."_

"_I wasn't crying," came her quick reply._

_He shrugged, and stood up. "Then kindly tell that other girl who had such a rough week to try not to sniff so hard next time. I'm afraid she might inhale all the dust bunnies in her room." _

She grimaced. Lee had such a way with words.

Moments later, her mind came to a temporary halt as she pulled out a large hardbound book from the box.

It was her high school yearbook.

"_Would you sign my yearbook?"_

"_I don't understand what's with the whole yearbook-signing fiasco," she ranted to no one in particular upon overhearing the group of giggling girls waving their frilly pink pens next table._

"_Tenten, don't you want people to sign your yearbook?" It was Sakura who paid attention to her comment. "We're graduating in a few days, and we might not be able to see each other until our 25__th__ high school reunion."_

_She huffed. "If it's you and Lee signing my yearbook, and maybe Ino and the other guys, I'm okay with that. What I don't understand is why people are so busy running around the halls asking guys and girls they hardly talked to in their four-year stay here to sign their yearbooks." Spotting a short girl shyly approaching the school's quarterback, she rolled her eyes. "What's so special about a standardized yearbook message?"_

"_Standardized yearbook message?"_

"_You know, Sakura, something like, 'you rock, don't ever change'. I mean, how can they not want you to change? They hardly know you!"_

_Taking a bite of her tuna sandwich, she figured this was why Lee opted to keep silent. If you fight fire with fire, you just get a bigger fire. If you fight Tenten's words with more words, you'll just have her blowing up. Half of her agreed with Tenten, though – the irrationality of it all, not to mention it being so superficial and contrived. Still, the remaining half of her refused to miss a long upheld yearbook tradition. "If people did not sign yearbooks, why give them out in the first place?"_

_Sakura congratulated herself for that comment. Even Miss Cranky-pants right across her would not be able to deny that yearbooks were meant to be signed._

"_It's a scam, Sakura," she stated a matter-of-factly. "Yearbooks exist for three reasons."_

_Sakura sweat dropped. Tenten was really hating on this tradition._

"_One, it's the school's one last chance to rip us off of our money before they let us go. How much did we pay for these anyway?" A looked of disgust was evident on her face as she traced a finger over the embossed parts of the cover. _

"_Two, it gives the teachers an excuse to make fun of us as they let us go through the agony of getting our hair done and applying the right amount of make-up for our individual pictures. It's stupid, really, like why do we need to pretend that all we did in high school was sit still as we innocently gazed into the camera lens? High school was nothing like that, and our pictures in this thing are not reflective of our experiences here at all."_

"_I think your picture turned out great, Tenten."_

_Their heads turned to Lee who made that comment in between servings of his lasagna. "Yours too, Sakura," he added, still not shifting his attention from his food._

_Before Sakura can thank him – and maybe swing in a new topic into the conversation before Tenten continued her rant – the other girl beat her to it._

"_Thanks, Lee. I think yours came out pretty good too," then she paused, before going on with her litany. "Oh, and three, these yearbooks are made for us to keep in order to give us the illusion that high school was as cheesy as the snapshots here make them appear. Like hell, we most certainly did not hold hands around the camp fire and shared our feeling, and – Wait here."_

High school was not some over the top cheesy flick, but she remembered all too well the confused looks on Sakura and Lee's faces as she walked away from their table. The dedication on the first page of her yearbook only cemented the memory: You rock, don't ever change. (plus a small, almost inconspicuous heart)

"_Shigure Kyoza?" With her tone subdued and made more feminine, she approached the captain of the swim team._

_She made it a point to constrain her movements and keep a slightly raised eyebrow. She knew she must not be angry, loud and boisterous, but be the exact opposite if she wanted to achieve her desired effect. She could just imagine Lee's jaws dropping at her sudden display of girlishness. "Sign my year book?"_

_As he turned to face her, she made a mental note of the boyish grin he sported, which she knew was disguising the arrogant smirk he felt like giving. "Of course, Tenten."_

_The way he said her name made her want to barf, but Shigure Kyoza was a necessary evil._

_Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, she added, "I'd love it more if you signed the first page. You know, I'll be reading yours over and over." She finished with a wink, oh how she dreaded this conversation._

"_I should make it extra special then."_

_Extra special her ass. He knew nothing about her, and there was nothing he could add in his dedication that can have it stand out from the pool of standardized yearbook messages._

_Yet she smiled coyly. "You really know how to make a girl blush."_

_She noticed the smirk forming on his lips, and it made her sick to her stomach. The only thing stopping her from rolling her eyes was the man standing on the other side of the hall, listening to what she surmised was Naruto babbling about lunch._

_She grimaced. He wasn't even looking._

Absent-mindedly, she continued flipping the pages until she arrived to the page her picture was at. Her hair was not in her signature buns for picture day. Instead, she opted – well, Sakura and Lee forced her – to have her hair in a low ponytail that slightly hung on the side. Some soft curls framed her face, and a sincere smile, not a sarcastic grin, graced her features.

"_Next!"_

_Tenten was never fond of the camera. The lights blinded her, and the flashes annoyed her. She let Sakura do her hair early that morning, and she hated it. Alright, maybe not hated it, but she definitely thought it was too girly-girl and there wasn't enough attitude evident in it. So, when the other girl finally let her go off the hook, she toned down the look, and transformed it into something she can own._

"_Okay, now smile!"_

_She was smiling alright, only because there was one thing worth smiling about: Her high school nightmare was soon over._

Four pages forward, her gaze fell on single photo, one that stood out from the rest for its effortless stature and class. Tenten hated every inch of it.

"_So, what are you smiling about?"_

"_Is it a crime for a girl to smile?" She knew what Lee was trying to get at, but it didn't mean she was going to give in too easily. "If you give me one of your brownies, I might tell you."_

"_Tenten, you're such a bully." He sat down next to her by the kitchen counter before handing her one of his special brownies. It was made from the sweet and youthful secret recipe an old mentor left with him, if she remembered correctly. "Are you going to tell me soon?"_

_Taking a bite of the brownie, she shook her head no._

"_Oh, come on!"_

_She bit her lip to suppress a giggle, and Lee narrowed his eyes at her. She was happy. Too happy._

_A moment of silence passed, and they both continued munching on their brownies._

_It was Tenten who broke the silence. "He talked to me today."_

_At first, he pretended not to have heard her. He knew she was only saying that because she no longer had any brownies in hand._

"_And he knows my name."_

_Still no answer._

"_Lee! I told! Now, give me more brownies!"_

She recalled wrestling him for more. The brownies were _that_ good, and she wondered why he hasn't introduced it to the customers of the Bakeshop of Youth yet. "Come to think of it, he hasn't made those in years."

Falling on her back to the bed, her thoughts flew to him once more. It seemed that no matter how hard she preoccupied herself with trivialities like brownies and yearbook memories, her mind always found a connection back to him.

"_Tenten?_

_She heard it then, the gentle knocks on her bedroom door just as she felt herself become invisible upon her wish. She slowly sat up, eyes puffy and red. "Go away," she blurted out._

"_I brought you brownies," the voice was muffled through the door. "Lee made them for you, and he asked me to take it up here in case you wanted them."_

"_Sakura, just leave me alone."_

_On the other side of the wooden door stood a girl whose one hand carefully balanced a tray of freshly-baked brownies. Lee called her half an hour ago, saying Tenten hasn't come out of her bedroom since yesterday, and he was getting worried. Maybe she needed a female friend to talk to, he thought. "Tenten, open the door."_

"_No."_

_She let out a sigh. "Hate him if you must. Curse him if you must. Just don't do this to yourself, Tenten._

"_I loved him…" she reminded her coldly, half-chiding herself because it was how she felt still._

"_Liked him," she corrected. "We're young, and we make mistakes. He hurt you, I know, but don't do this to yourself, Tenten. Don't let him feel like what you're doing to yourself is justified, because it's not – don't let him win."_

"_I just—"_

"_You're a strong woman, Tenten. Fight back."_

"Fight back," she echoed Sakura's words from that night. "Fight back."

She quickly sat up on her bed and took a moment to think. Back in high school, she was such a fool; she was the fool who wasted a large chunk of her life crying over a bastard like Hyuuga Neji.

Untangling herself from the sheets, she dawdled to where she hung that piece of cardboard Lee called _Today's Advice_. She has made a habit of taking one every day, actually, but that was something she will never admit to her best friend.

Closing her eyes, she turned and pointed to the cardboard. Then, she read her advice out loud: "Don't wait for others to fix things, take action." She smiled to herself. This was turning out to be the exact opposite of what she imagined earlier as a night of self-pity.

Her eyes traveled to the clock hanging on one of her white-washed walls. Nine o' clock, it was still early. She had a quick change of clothes and secured her house keys in her back pocket. Taking a quick gulp of her bottled water, she then picked up the phone and dialed Sakura's number.

"Hey Ino, do you and Sakura have plans tomorrow night?"

All those nights she spent crying, all those years she spent being bitter and in denial – over that bastard who now calls himself Executive Director, nonetheless – those are long gone.

Tenten was going to fight back.


End file.
